UN PROCEDIMIENTO PARA LA PREPARACIËN DE ACIDO ADIPICO Y NITROCICLOHEXANO A BASE DE CICLOHEXANO

摘要

Adipic acid and nitrocyclohexane are produced by reacting cyclohexane with nitrogen dioxide at a temperature between 30 DEG and 70 DEG C. in the presence of a catalyst based on silica gel and/or a salt of vanadic acid. The nitric oxide formed during the reaction is preferably eliminated by the introduction of oxygen. Cyclohexyl nitrate, d -cyano-valeric acid and caproic acid e -nitrate are formed as by-products and may be further converted to adipic acid by recycling or by separating them from the reaction mixture followed by oxidation of the cyclohexyl nitrate with nitric acid and hydrolysis with a mineral acid of the caproic acid e -nitrate and the d -cyano-valeric acid. The nitrocyclohexane may also be transformed into adipic acid by treatment with sodium hydroxide to give the sodium salt of nitrocyclohexane which is converted to cyclohexanone by treatment with hydrochloric acid, the cyclohexanone being subsequently oxidized to adipic acid by means of nitric acid or nitrogen dioxide. Examples are given. Other by-products obtained are succinic and glutaric acids and dinitrocyclohexanes.